Welsh fundraising effort backs vital medical work in Gaza, West Bank and Jerusalem
ST JOHN AMBULANCE CYMRU has presented a £30,000 donation to support vital sight-saving medical care in the Middle East, highlighting the long-standing humanitarian links between Wales and the international work of the Order of St John.
The cheque was formally presented during a special visit to the organisation’s national headquarters in Cardiff, where staff and volunteers welcomed the Hospitaller of the Order of St John, Mr David Verity KStJ, a renowned consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.
Mr Verity addressed those present on the work of the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group, which has been providing eye care to patients in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem for more than 140 years, treating people regardless of ethnicity, religion or ability to pay.
The donation was raised through a range of fundraising activities across Wales, including the annual Christmas Carol Concert at St John the Baptist City Parish Church in Cardiff, alongside contributions from The Hospitaller’s Club of Wales, represented at the event by its president Adam Bruce and committee members.
The cheque was presented by members of St John Ambulance Cymru’s Eye Hospital Panel, who have been supporting the international work of the Eye Hospital Group.
Paul Griffiths OBE KStJ JP DL, St John Prior for Wales and Chair of the Board of Trustees at St John Ambulance Cymru, said the visit underlined the importance of Welsh support for international humanitarian work.
“It was a pleasure to welcome Mr Verity to Cardiff and hear about the positive impact the Eye Hospital Group is making in extremely difficult circumstances.
We were delighted to be able to present him with a cheque towards continuing this vital work and underline the Priory for Wales’ support for the work of the Order of St John globally, as well as at home.”
Mr Verity shared his personal journey with the Order, which began at the age of 16 after a formative visit to the eye hospital in Rafah, Gaza — an experience that shaped his medical career.
Since 2005, he has held a number of senior leadership roles, including serving as a trustee on the Board of Governors of the Eye Hospital Group. In his current role as Hospitaller, he acts as a key link between clinical sites in Jerusalem and Gaza and the global network of supporters.
During his address, he praised the Welsh Priory for its contribution to the Order’s nearly 1,000-year history of service, describing the Eye Hospital Group as the international heart of the organisation’s charitable mission.
He also stressed the importance of transparency for donors in Wales who support the work from afar.
“It’s very difficult for people to go to Jerusalem, and impossible to go to Gaza, to see how their generous donations are used. One of my roles is to come back and describe how the site is sustained, and to thank them on behalf of the patients they’ll never meet.”
The event reinforced the enduring link between local Welsh fundraising efforts and the delivery of life-changing medical care in some of the world’s most challenging regions.
